The present invention relates to self-inflating enclosures, such as balloons and the like, and, more particularly, to such an inflatable enclosure having inflating means.
Various self-inflating enclosures, such as balloons are known.
One such known inflatable enclosure is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,247,809, issued on Nov. 27, 1917 to F. C. Foster, which shows an inflatable balloon structure having an inflation neck connected to a gas generator. This old gas generator includes a first cylindrical tube, open at both of its ends, and containing a material, such as carbide, which forms a gas when contacted with water. A second open-ended tube is imbedded within the carbide and contains water. The open ends of the second tube are sealed with wax plugs. Water entering the outer tube, through the open ends thereof, initiates the formation of gas and generates sufficient heat to melt the wax plugs, closing the ends of the second tube, which permits the water inside the second tube to exit from the inner tube into the outer tube to complete the gas generation by reacting with the carbide in the outer tube. The gas passes through the inflation neck and into the balloon to, thus, inflate the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,771,730, issued on July 29, 1930 to R. Marcks, shows an inflatable flotation bag, fabricated of a water permeable, elastic flexible material, such as linen and containing a small charge of gas producing chemicals, such as powdered citric acid, tartaric acid, or an acetate and sodium bicarbonate. When the water permeable bag is immersed in water, the water enters the bag causing a chemical reaction with the gas producing chemicals therein, which, in turn, inflates the bag. The water also causes the permeable bag material to swell, closing the permeable bag material, to form an impervious bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,024, issued on Mar. 21, 1967 to R. C. McConnell, illustrates a signal balloon having an inflation neck connected to a compressed gas cylinder. This old signal balloon has a check valve and a pointed needle for piercing the gas cylinder. When the gas cylinder is attached to the inflation neck, the needle pierces the gas cylinder, thus releasing pressurized gas into the balloon. The check valve prevents the back flow of gas from the balloon.
U.S Pat. No. 3,786,590, issued on Jan. 22, 1974 to C. G. Weeks, shows a flotation device to be attached to, for example, a fishing rod, to prevent it from sinking, if dropped into the water. The flotation device includes a plastic cylinder containing a gas producing chemical, such as calcium carbide. One end wall of the cylinder has an opening for water to enter the cylinder. The other end wall of the cylinder has an opening for the egress of gas. A balloon has a filling neck attached to the cylinder at the gas egress end. A check valve is located at the gas egress opening of the cylinder to prevent gas from flowing out of the balloon. The cylinder is attached to the fishing rod by clamps. If the fishing rod is dropped into the water, the water will enter the cylinder, creating a gas upon reaction with the calcium carbide inside the cylinder, that inflates the balloon and, thus, prevents the fishing rod from sinking.
The aforenoted prior-art devices are complicated in structure and, hence, expensive to manufacture.